Car-coupling



(NO Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

H. S. MGKAG'UE.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 385,129. Patented June 26, 1888.

WITNESSES: v INVBNTOR:

45W 7 BY ATTORNEYS.

N. FFIERS. Phm-Limu m her. Wasungwn. D. 04

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. s. MOKAGUE.

OAR COUPLING.

' N 0'. 385,1Z9 Patented June 26, 1888.

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BY ATTORNEYS.

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UNiTnn STATES PATENT FFTCEE.

HERBERT S. M OKAG UE, OF MOELHATTAN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLI NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,129, dated June 26, 1888.

' Application filed November 2!), 1887. Serial No. 256,430. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT S. MOKAGUE, McElhattan, in the county of Clinton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to safety car-couplings, and has for its object to provide a simple,

durable, and efficient coupling of this character which will allow the cars to be coupled or uncoupled by a traimman either on the ground at the side of the car or on the top of the car, and will alsoallow automatic uncoupling of cars for shunting them about the yard or when making flying switches, and all without requiring the train-men to stand between the cars and expose themselves to injury.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts of the car-coupling, all as hereinafter fully de scribed and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end portion of a box-car with my improved coupling applied. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the coupling and adjacent parts of the car, and shows an opposing draw-head in dotted lines. 3 is a bottom plan view of the coupling. Fig. et is a front view of the draw-head of the coupling. Fig. 5 is a cross section of the draw-head, taken on the line 00 :r, Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the coupling-link. 1

The draw-head A of the coupling is fitted to slide between beams B B, ranging longitudinall y of the car, and fixed to its frame and upon rests or plates I) 0, fixed to the beams B B. These plates 1) b also support movable bufferplates G0, which are fitted between the beams B B behind the draw-head, and bolts D D, having heads (Z inside of lateral enlargements 0r sockets at the back end or wall of the drawhead, pass through said wall and through the buffer-plates, and have pins (1 passed through them behind the plate 0. Between the plates 0 G and upon the bolts D D are placed spiral buffer-springs E E, which normally expand, and are compressed to prevent shock to the parts by both the pull on the draw-head by the link and the pushing of the draw-head by the draw head of an opposing car. The usual bumpers, F F, are provided on the car-frame at the sides of the draw-head.

The draw-head A is provided with a large interior. cavity or socket, G, more than deep enough to allow the couplinglink H to pass forits entire length into thesocket, and at each side of the socket a flange, I, is fixed to or formed on the draw-head walls and at a little distance from the floor of the socket, and whereby are formed I between the opposite flanges I I and the sooket-fioor opposite side grooves or ways, J J, which terminate at their forward ends in shoulders j, next the rear ends of lugs or lateral projections K K, the forward or outer faces, 7c is, of which are inclined downward and forward to the sloping or diverging front face or floor portion, a, of the draw-head to which is held a front hook orhorn, L, which projects upward, and is inclined or rounded over at its front face, up which the end of a couplinglink held by an opposing car may ride to dropbehind the born for coupling the cars. This horn L may be fitted in the drawhead in any approved way, allowing substitution of a new horn for a broken one.

The coupling-link H is peculiarly formed and as shown most clearly in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Its front portion, h, is link-shaped, providing an opening admitting the horn L of an opposing coupling or the common pin of an ordinary coupling when coupling to cars provided with the link-and-pin draw-head. At the rear end of its portion h the link H has a central longitudinal ranging stem, h, to the outer end of which is fixed a cross-bar, 71?. The stem h is curved longitudinally, being convex at the upper face, and where the stem joins the open portion h of the link inclined shoulders i z are formed at each side, and these shoulders are adapted to ride up or upon the inclined faces is k of the socket-lugs K K, and are also adapted to ride upon or over and along the socket-flanges I Lwhile the opposite ends of the cross bar or head h of the link travels in the opposite ways or grooves J J, below the flanges. YVhen thelink H is pushed back far enough in the drawhead socket G, the opposite ends of its crossbar h will fall from and past the inner ends of the opposite flanges I, and when the link is drawn forward the crossbar will ride along the ways Juntil the crossbar bears on the shoulders j to. take the draft strain of hauling the car. While the cross bar it slides in the ways, the link-shoulders 13 will bear on the flanges I. It is obvious, as the crossbar H cannot have vertical play in the Ways J, that the inward movement ofthe link from the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings will, by causing con tact of the link and draw-head inclined faces z it, cause the outer end of the link to be gradually raised, and it follows that while the outer end of the link is being raised the link shoulders or facest' will ride over the inclined faces k and onto the flanges I. Furthermore, should the outerend of the link be slightly raised to move the link upward and backward, but-not sufficiently to cause the link-faces i to ride upon the draw-head'flanges L'the weight of the link would cause it to fall again and its outer end would be gradually slid forward until the crossbar it" stopped at the drawshouldersj.

Toprovidc for lifting the outer end of the link to enter it into an opposing draw-head, and at the same time to allow the link to be forced clear-back in the draw-head,as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, I connect to it a chain or cord, M,"which is passed through a'slot, m, in .the top of the draw-head, and is connected to an eye or loop, a, at the outer end of an -arm,'l l,which is fixed to a rockshaft, O, journaled in suitable bearings, 0, 'on the car-body; and to the shaft 0 also is connected an arm,.l?, to which is attached a chain or cord, R, which is guided beneath a'pulley, r, or other suitable keeper,

- held to the car body, and extends by. any suitable cord, wire, or rod connection to the topv of a box-car, where it is connected to one arm, 8, of an operating lever, S, whichisjournaled by its axial portion 3 in staples or hearings on the car, and is provided with another arm, 8, which projects from the part 8 in a plane at about or a little less than a right angle with the plane of projection of the other arm, 8, of thelever.

\Vhen the arm 5 is lowered to the canbody, the end of the connection between the chain R and the lever will have been thrown over past theaxis or fulcrum s of the lever; hence the jar of travel of the car cannot throw the lever over or with its arm 8 flat to the car-body, which movement, however, may readily be made by a train-man 011 top of the car. It is obvious that by manipulating the lever S the chain R and arms 1? N may be operated tolift the-outer end of the link H more or less to cause the link to properly enter an opposing draw-head for coupling two cars, the entire operation thus being controllable from the top of the car.

The drawings, in Fig. 1, show the connection between the chain R and lever S, consisting of a rod, 1-, attached to the lever, and a spring, T, interposed between the rod 1 and the chain.

This spring T, which normally contracts when put in tension, allows liftingor lowering ofthe coupling-link by operating the lever S; butthe principal office or function ofthe spring is to uncouple two cars while making a flying switch, and as hereinafter explained.

At one end the shaft 0 is bent to form an arm, Of, or may be provided in any manner with said arm, which extends about at right angles from the shaft, and at this side of the car is fulcrumed, about at its center, a lever, U,-which has one bent end or arm, a, which extends beneath the shaft-arm O,.and at its other end the lever is preferably provided with an outbent arm, a, serving as a treadle onto which a train-man may press with his foot to turn the rockshaftO for setting or manipulating the coupling-link, while he may use his hands, or one of them, for signaling the engineer or other person, as circumstances may require. At the other end of the rock-shaft O is held loosely alever or arm, V, and next the lever on the shaft is plaeeda coiled spring,W,

vone end of which is fixed to the shaft and the other end of which is fixed to the lever, and whereby,when the lever Vis turned overbackward or into the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the springW willibe put under torsional strain. A suitable hook, X, held to the car-body, may be swung over the lever to retain itin'backward position. The torsion of the spring W normally tends to turn the shaft 0 backward to lift the arm N, and consequently the chain M and coupling-link H; but the spring cannot do this while the draft strain of hauling the cat-is on the link; but when the speed of the cars is slackened and the draft strain is relaxed the spring W, when in torsion as above described,will act instantly to lift the link from the draw-head horn L and assure uncoupling of the cars. The spring T, when put in tension by turning the lever S at thetop of the car to the position shown in Fig.

l of the drawings,will also lift thelink H from the draw-head horn L when the draft strain is relaxed; hence by operating the lever Vfrom the ground at the side of the car, -or by operating the lever S at the top of the car, any two cars of a train may be uncoupled while making a flying switch or for any other purpose.

The draw-head A is provided at its under side and front portion with a depending lug, Y, which forces a low hanging link back into the draw-head of an opposing car, and as will be understood from the full and dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The coupling of two cars may be effected by turning the shaft 0 by operating either of the levers O, S, or U to lift the link as may be required for its engagement with the horn L of an opposing draw-head, and should the link to be used be forced back into the draw-head the pull on the chain M, when the shaft 0 is turned, will draw the link forward into the opposing draw-head,and by releasing the shaft 0 the link will fall over the horn L of said IlO Lil

draw-head to.couple the. cars. When itis de sired to make a liying switch, the lever V of one of two cars where the uncoupling is to be effected will be turned over-backward and retained by the hook X toiput the spring W in torsion while the draft strain is on the cars, or at this time the lever Sofone car may be turned to the position shown-in Fig. 1 to put the spring T in tension, and as the draftstrain of the swiftly-moving cars is relaxed either spring W or link and uncouple the cars, whereupon the ears forward of the one or more to be switched off will be pulled forward quickly to keep the main track, while the uncoupled cars will run onto the siding opened after the forward cars hadsafely passed thesidingswitch onto the main-line rails, aswill readily be understood.

An ordinarycouplingpin rinay be used by passing it through the draw-head slot at and a hole in the draw-head floor, to. allow use of a commonlink and two cars.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new, and desire tosccnre by Letters Patent, is I 1. In a car-coupling, the draw-head formed with a link-socket, G, having a top'opening, m, and provided at opposite sides with horizontal longitudinally-extendingflanges I, and lugs K, forming ways .J, and draftshoulders j, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the draw-head formed. with a link-socket having an opening, in, in its top, and provided on its inner sides with horizontal longitndimalty-extending flanges I, and lugs K at the forward ends thereof, forming ways J, and draft-shoulders j, the horn L in its bottom, and theprojection Y on the outer face of the forward edge of the bottom, substantially as set forth.

3. In a carcoupling, the. draw-head made with a link-socket, G, provided at opposite sides with flanges I and lugs K, forming ways J, and draftshoulders j, and said draw-head provided also with a horn, L, inxcombina'tion with a coupling-link, I'I, formed with front link. portion, 71, a stem, h, and a cross-bar, hfland said lugs Khaving inclined front faces, is, and the rearward-sliding link having correspond ing inclined faces or shoulders, i, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

4. In a carcoupling,.thedraw'head made with a link-socket, G, provided at opposite sides with longitudinallyextending flanges I and lugsK,f01*n1i11g ways J, and draft-shoulders j, and said drawhcad provided also with a horn, L, and an opening, 121, in .itstop, in combination with a rcarwardly-slidingv couplinglink, H, formed with front link portions, h, a

stem, h, and a crossbar, it", a rock-shafh'O,

. jonrnalcd on the car and provided with an T will operate to lift the coupling pin to effect a coupling of 5. In a carcoupling, the combination of the drawhead, a couplinglink therein, a rockshaft, .0, journaled on the car and provided with an arm, N, atlexible connection, M, between the link and arm, an arm, P, on the shaft, a lever, S, fulcrumed at the top of the car and'formed with axis 3, and arms 8 s", and connections, as R a", between the arm P and lever B, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth. I

6. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the'draw'head, a eouplinglink therein, and a shaft, 0, journaled on the ear and provided with an arm, N, connected to the link, and an arm, 0', on the shaft, of a foot-lever, U, fulcrumed on the car and having an arm, a, extending across the shaft-arm O, substantially as described, for thespurposes set forth. y

7. In a car-coupling, the, combination, with thedraw-head, a coupling-link therein, and'a shaft,O, jonrnaled on the car and provided with an arm, N, connected to the link, of a lever,V, placed loosely on the shaft, a spring, Tonthc shaft, and connected at one end to the shaft and at the other end to the lever, and a detent, X, for said lever, substantially as describeth'for the purposes set forth.

8. i In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, a couplinglink therein, and a shaft, 0, journaled on the car and provided with an arm, N, connected to the link, of an arni,*P, on the shaft, a lever, S, journaled at the top of. the car, a connection between the parts P S, and a spring, T, interposed in said connection, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination, with a draw-head pro-- vided with a rearward-sliding andverticallyswinging link, of an opposing draw-headprovided with a lug on its lower face at the front thereof, to force the link inward and thereby raise it, substantially as set forth.

.10. The combination, with a drawhead formedwith a rearward-sliding and vertically swinging link, a lever, and a flexible eonnec-.

tion extending through the draw-head and engaging the link, of an opposing draw-head having an internal horn and alug on its lower face at the front end thereof, to strike thelink .and force it inward and upward, whereby by then operating said lever the link may be shot forward into engagement with the horn of said opposing d raw-head, substantially as set forth.

said shaft for rocking it and releasing the coupler, substantially as set forth.

for putting it under torsional strain, a second lever to be secured at the top of a car and conneeted to said rock shaft, and a longitudinally I 5 expansihle and contractible spring forming part of the connection between said top lever forth. and the rock-shaft, whereby the rock-shaftmay 14. An automatic uncoupler for cars, conbe set to be actuated by either spring, subsisting in a rock's-halt having flexible conueestantially as set forth.

13. The combination, with the draw-head and the coupling mechanism, of a spring-actuated uncoupling-shaft connected with said coupling mechanism, and a lever for setting 5 said spring-actuated shaft, substantially as set tions for connectingitwith acoupler, atorsion- HERBERT S. MOKAGUE. [0 spring secured atone end to the shaft, a lever loose upon the said shaft at the side of a car and connected to the opposite end of the spring Witnesses:

H. T. HALL, PAUL S. MERRILL. 

